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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Drinking so young?

39 replies

Blessedbethefruit01 · 25/07/2021 07:50

Went to a little get together at someone's home last night. There was a couple there I didn't know. She had 2 children. One was 8, the other 13. The 13 year old was drinking alcopops and beer. Was clearly drunk, they thought it was funny. The 8 year old was drinking alcopops.
Aibu to think this is too young to drink at a party?

OP posts:
ZaraW · 25/07/2021 07:59

IF it happened you already know the answer.

CatsArePeople · 25/07/2021 08:13

8? way too young. And 13 is way too young to be drunk.

Mummadeze · 25/07/2021 08:18

That sounds like social services should be involved / a form of child abuse. Didn’t you say something to them at the time? Ridiculous behaviour from the parents :(

SmidgenofaPigeon · 25/07/2021 08:21

This reply has been deleted

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Orf1abc · 25/07/2021 08:26

Mine have a bottle of wkd every night before bed. Does 'em no harm!

icelollycraving · 25/07/2021 08:27

Ok, if this happened and you didn’t say a word, then I think as little of you. A child of 8 should not be drinking, obviously. A child of 13, ideally not but moderate drinking at home can remove some of the excitement of alcohol. A child being drunk, no, fairly obvious that is shit from all adults present.

daisypond · 25/07/2021 08:29

I would think it too young, but the legal age for drinking at home is actually only five.

DoucheCanoe · 25/07/2021 08:30

@Orf1abc that's awful!

WKD are full of sugar. Stiff shot of Jack Daniels in our house.

icedcoffees · 25/07/2021 08:33

@Orf1abc

Mine have a bottle of wkd every night before bed. Does 'em no harm!
Think of the sugar content ShockWink
DoucheCanoe · 25/07/2021 08:40

Seriously though OP, it's not something i'd be comfortable with personally BUT legally a child can have alcohol at 5 with parental supervision at home.

At 13 i'd have been happy to give mine an alcopop/koppaberg/beer or 2 (max) at a family gathering which may well have made him a bit tipsy and teens like to play up on it and appear "drunk" so maybe that was the case here?

As for the 8 year old, mine has had sips of drinks but i'd never give them one of their own!

nimbuscloud · 25/07/2021 08:40

Why would you think you are unreasonable to think 8 and 13 are too young to drink alcohol?

daisypond · 25/07/2021 08:42

@nimbuscloud

Why would you think you are unreasonable to think 8 and 13 are too young to drink alcohol?
Because the legal age is five and the children are way above that age?
Effinell · 25/07/2021 08:48

I went to a party years ago and the 'mother' for want of a better word was giving her 3 year old sips of blue WKD. I left and called social services on the Monday morning. I don't know if anything was ever done, I've never seen her again and that was about 18 years ago.

Hellodarknessmyoldpal · 25/07/2021 08:49

If this happened and I was there I wouldn't be comfortable with it.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 25/07/2021 08:55

And your first thought after witnessing this was not to call social services but post on the internet Hmm

BlueSurfer · 25/07/2021 08:58

@Orf1abc

Mine have a bottle of wkd every night before bed. Does 'em no harm!
I used to love wkd but the caffeine in them kept me up for hours.
BlueSurfer · 25/07/2021 09:02

Whilst it is legal to give a child of five and above alcohol, allowing/encouraging a minor to get drunk is a different matter.

Original poster
Blessedbethefruit01 · 25/07/2021 09:44

Why are people saying if this happened 🙄 why would I make that up 🥴
Yes it did happen. Me and my partner were both horrified. Seemed like we were the only ones who thought so.

OP posts:
Original poster
Blessedbethefruit01 · 25/07/2021 11:10

Why would i call social services. It is actually legal. But more of a moral thing.
Plus it was my partner's friends we were at and didn't want to make it uncomfortable

OP posts:
DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult · 25/07/2021 11:13

I don't want mine to get used to sweet alcopops so just give them straight vodka.

Its totally fine.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 25/07/2021 11:24

I mean really- how many alcohpops did this eight year old allegedly have? They’d have just been sick or had to lie down. I can’t imagine witnessing this and not saying anything 😂

Original poster
Blessedbethefruit01 · 25/07/2021 12:16

@SmidgenofaPigeon

I mean really- how many alcohpops did this eight year old allegedly have? They’d have just been sick or had to lie down. I can’t imagine witnessing this and not saying anything 😂
Just one bottle but was also eating the fruit that had been sitting in alcohol all day too
OP posts:
WitchesNStuff · 25/07/2021 12:26

8 is too young to be drinking at all other than a little sip from parents drink. 13 too young to be drunk, maybe one low alcohol drink perhaps. I drank from about 13/14 but my DCs haven't. 15 yo DS drinks a few under our supervision but thats it, 13 yo doesnt at all.

WitchesNStuff · 25/07/2021 12:28

Thinking about it I probably let DS1 have 1 drink at 13, it's only this year he's had more.

LindaEllen · 25/07/2021 12:32

I had the occasional alcopop once I was in high school, but I mean ONE, and absolutely nowhere near drunk, and 8 is WAY too young.

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